NUMBERS THIS YEAR AND IT'S BEING ATTRIBUTED THE SUCCESS TO THE LATTICE FENCING THAT'S BEEN TEMPORARILY INSTALLED ALONG THE REC TRAIL IN PACIFIC GROVE... BUT SOME SAY IT HAS GOT TO GO. ACTION NEWS REPORTER JACQUELINE MAZUR IS LIVE IN MONTEREY WITH THE DETAILS. JACQUELINE? #### DAN/ERIN -- SOME PEOPLE SAY THE FENCING IS AN EYESORE AND THEY'RE ALSO QUESTIONING THE LEGALITY BEHIND INSTALLING IT... WHILE OTHERS SAY IT'S LIKELY THE SOLE REASON NINETY PUPS HAVE SURVIVED THIS YEAR. PACIFIC GROVE RESIDENT SUSAN GOLDBECK TELLS ACTION NEWS SHE'S NOT AGAINST THE SEALS PUPPING ON LOCAL BEACHES... IT'S THE ADDED FENCING FROM THE 5TH STREET ROOKERY TO 8TH STREET -- THAT SHE'S QUESTIONING. "40:15-? the city has no business running around the coastal laws." GOLDBECK ALSO SAYS THE TEMPORARY FENCING OBSTRUCTS THE VIEW AND IS SKEPTICAL OF BAY NET'S COUNT OF SUCCESSFUL BIRTHS AROUND THE 5TH STREET ROOKERY IN THE FIRST PLACE. SHE QUESTIONS WHETHER OR NOT HUMAN IMPACT IS TO BLAME FOR SEAL PUP DEATHS THERE -- AS WELL. "34:39-? We all want to protect the pups but let's find out how much protection they need, whether or not these outrageous claims that are being made are true." "47:54-48:00 It has been said that there have been no births down there and there have been, I have videotaped them and photographed them." VOLUNTEERS WITH BAY NET TELL ACTION NEWS THE LATTICE FENCING NEAR THE 5TH STREET ROOKERY IS NECESSARY TO KEEP THESE PUPS ALIVE... AND SAY EVEN WITH THE FENCING IN PLACE -- TWO MEN MALICIOUSLY IGNORED THE SIGNS AND SCARED THE SEALS OFF THE 5TH STREET BEACH WHICH RESULED IN THE DEATH OF A SEAL PUP JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO. "46:45-46:52 It's really hard to imagine somebody wanting to protect the seals and objecting to a temporary closure of a small area like this." IN MONTEREY -- JACQUELINE MAZUR KSBW ACTION NEWS EIGHT. #### IT'S A FEDERAL OFFENCE TO DISTURB THE SEAL PUPS IN ANY WAY ... WE'RE TOLD ONE OF THE TWO MEN WHO IGNORED THE FENCING ON THE 5TH STREET ROOKERY WAS CAUGHT BY NOAA ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ... AND WILL LIKELY FACE PENALTIES FOR HIS ACTIONS. DAN/ERIN? #### PACIFIC GROVE'S CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE LAST FALL TO PUT UP PROTECTIVE FENCING ALONG THE REC TRAIL... BUT MAYOR KAMPE MADE THE DECISION TO DO SO WITHOUT APPROVAL FROM THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION THIS YEAR ... BUT TELLS US THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF NEGOTIATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR. MEANTIME -- THE SEAL PUPPING SEASON IS COMING TO AN END -- THE FENCING WILL COME DOWN AFTER THAT. ####